RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2060, 11 December 1869, Page 2

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

To iM Editor of the Evening Star. Sir—Whilst the subject of Railways is being agitated, I think it a duty each owes to his adopted country, to bring a practical suggestion before the public. I am of opinion that the following is the best system as far as it goes, or I should not have troubled you with this letter, viz. : When plans and specifications are prepared, they should be for a thoroughly complete and efficient line in all respects, with a view to a having it ultimately carried out. At the same time a supplementary plan and specification should be prepared, and the work done in accordance with it in the first place. Briefly to explain this latter remark, we will suppose a railway from point of departure to destination will cost, to be throughly completed, say LIOO,OOO, and under the latter plan sajr one-third or L 33,000. A pagcl) wider difference I hare known in carrying out many qf the American lines. I would then have an Act passed to prevent the company paying a dividend of more than say 5 to 10 per cent, and all over and above that to be laid out from time to time in completing the line, in accordance with the original or first plan. A little consideration of this mode will-commend it without my entering into reasons; however, I may state that the cheap line will, in almost any case, pay a good dividend from the commencement, whilst the traffic is growing. On the other the more expensive line would not pay forsoine time,'or in other worjs, supposing the costly one paid 4ten' per ceht., the cheaper would pay, say 30 per cent—that is 10 per cent tp th© shareholders, and 20 per cent to be laid out on the hue, thereby increasing the value of the shareholders' property. If this principle were carried out, we could construct three lines with as little difficulty as by the other mode we could construct one. The above is perhaps only a small portion of the advantage the province would reap from being recouped for the gy-'-’v.atee of 8 per cent (or otherwise). In the first place, greZt of be sold and infinitely greater ° exportable crops, &c., would be raised ; and in proportion in+pqrtalje goods required, &c. Then again, sucli "companies would knpw some years beforehand what ironwork, stone, timber, buildings, etc., they would require, thereby giving local industry time and opportunity to compete for all the necessary material, together with the continual employment of laborers and mechanics, &c.—in fact promoting every branch of industry. 1 know of an instance in America where a cheap line was constructed that soon paid enormous dividends ; the Legislature stepped in and prevented their paying more than 10 per cent per annum until the line \yas completed to the requisite standard, and I believe it is now one of the finest and best paying lines in America, and has been a fortune to many of the shareholders. The Government might do a great service if they sent some of our engineers over to the States to enquire into and bring evidence of their system of railways, especially with reference to their light and strong rolling stock.

After some years of experience in the United States, nothing has struck me so much as the many stumbling blocks our English engineers put in the way of pushing ahead cheap and necessary works adapted to $ new country ; —everything must he done “as we have it in Britain.” They cannot somehow leave the groove they were taught to move in; everything they do must be a monument of engineering skill and grandeur. A great deal of the material of the cheap line could be used on branch lines or feeding tramways, &c. In conclusion, I feel convinced if such a system was once inaugurated, we should rather have to put a check on a railway fever in New Zealand. T. R.